Every-Day Errors of Speech Part 14

=Tic-douloureux=--tik'doo-loo-roo', not -dol-o-roo' nor -do-lo-roo'.

=Tiny=--ti'ny, not tee'ny nor tin'y.

=Tolu=--to-lu', not tu'lu.

=Tomato=--to-ma'to or to-ma'to, not to-mat'o.

=Topographic=--top-o-graph'ic, not to-po-graph'ic.

=Topographical= and =topographically= have also the short o in the first syllable.

=Tour=--toor, not towr.

=Tournament=--tur'na-ment according to Webster. Worcester gives toor'na-ment also.

=Toward= and =towards=--to'-ward and to'wardz, not to-ward'

and to-wardz'.

=Tragacanth=--trag'a-kanth, not traj'a-sinth nor trag'a-santh. A gum used for mucilage.

=Traverse=--trav'erse, not tra-verse'. =Traversable=, =traversing= and =traversed= have also the accent on the first syllable.

=Tremendous=--tre-men'dus, not tre-men'de-us nor tre-men'jus.

=Trilobite=--tri'lo-bite, not tril'o-bite nor trol'lo-bite, as it is often called.

=Troche=--tro'kee, not trosh, tro'she, troke nor trotch. Plural, =troches= (tro'keez). A lozenge composed of sugar, mucilage and medicine, as: _bronchial troches_.

=Trochee=--tro'kee, is a foot in poetry.

=Truculent=--tru'ku-lent, not truk'u-lent.

=Truths=--truths, not truthz, is the plural of =truth=.

=Tryst=--trist, not trist. An appointment to meet.

=Tryster= (trist'er), =trysting= (trist'ing).

=Turbine=--tur'bin, not tur'-bine. A kind of water wheel.

U.

=Umbrella=--um-brel'la, not um-ber-rel' nor um-ber-rel'la.

=Upas=--u'pas, not u'paw nor u'pawz.

=Usurp=--yu-zurp', not yu-surp'. =Usurper= (yu-zurp'er), etc.

V.

=Vagary=--va-ga'ry, not va'-ga-ry.

=Valenciennes=--va-len'si-enz', not val-en-seenz'. A French lace.

=Valleys=, not _vallies_, is the plural of =valley=.

=Vamos= (va'mos), or =vamose= (va-mose'), not vam-moos'. To depart. (Inelegant.)

=Vase=, according to Webster; vase or vaze, according to Worcester. The p.r.o.nunciations vaz and vawz are alluded to but not recommended.

=Vehemence=--ve'he-mence, not ve-he'mence nor ve-hem'ence. =Vehemently= and =vehement= have also the accent on the first syllable.

=Vermicelli=---ver-me-chel-li or ver-me-sel'li, not ver-me-sil'ly. Worcester sanctions the first method only.

=Veterinary=--vet'er-in-a-ry, not ve-ter'in-a-ry.

=Vicar=--vik'ar, not vi'kar. =Vicarage= and =vicars.h.i.+p= have also the short i in the first syllable.

=Violent= (vi'o-lent), =violence= (vi'o-lence), =violet= (vi'o-let), =violin= (vi-o-lin'), etc., not voi'o-lent, voi'o-lence, voi'o-let, voi-o-lin', etc.

=Viscount=--vi'kount, not vis'kount. =Viscountess= (vi'kountess), etc.

=Visor=--viz'or, not vi'zor.

W.

=Wake=, etc. _Wake_ is both a transitive and an intransitive verb. Present tense, _wake_; imperfect and past participle, _waked_; present participle, _waking_. _Awake_ is also both transitive and intransitive. Present, _awake_; imperfect, _awoke_ or _awaked_; participles, _awaked_ and _awaking_.

_Awaken_ is another verb, both transitive and intransitive.

Present, _awaken_; imperfect and past participle, _awakened_; present participle, _awakening_. Thus it is seen that we have a great many words to express the fact of _being_ in a conscious state, and the arousing of a person who is asleep. With a little attention there is no reason for committing an error in the use of these words. One may say that he _waked_, _awoke_, or _awakened_ early in the morning, but it is wrong to say that he _woke_ in the morning, or that he _woke_ another; for there is no such word as _woke_. "I _wakened_ at five o'clock,"

should be, "I _awakened_ at five o'clock;" for there is no such word as _wakened_. _Up_ is used only with _wake_, _waked_ and _waking_, but even then it is one of our most senseless superfluities. There is no stronger meaning in the a.s.sertion that a man was _waked up_, than that he was _waked_ or _awakened_. If _waking up_ meant to _wake_ and make _get up_, it would be different, but it does not. One may be _waked up_ and it is just as likely that he will go to sleep again as if he were simply _awakened_. _Awake_ and _awaken_ are more elegant words than _wake_.

=Wa.s.sail=--wos'sil, not was'sil. A festive occasion, carousal, the song sung at such a time, etc. The verb and the adjective are spelled and p.r.o.nounced similarly.

=Water=--waw'ter, not wot'er.

=Welsh=, not _Welch_. The latter word is seldom used. =Welshman=, etc.

=Whinny=, not _winny_, when the cry of a horse is spoken of.

=Whisk=, not _whist_, when a small hand-broom is meant. =Wisp=, however, is a proper word, meaning the same thing.

=Whiting= is preferable to _whitening_.

=Widow.= It is not necessary to say _widow woman_; no one will suspect her of being a man.

=Wrestle=--res'l, not ras'sl.